Working on something I've discovered this amazing video from 1984 Olympic Games. It shows the battle for the Olympic gymnastics title between Ecaterina Szabo and Mary Lou Retton. As you will see it is not about physical and technical abilities, it about mind and heart strength. And the hero of this moment is Béla Károlyi, the unbelievable gymnastics coach who changed the face of this sport starting with Nadia Comaneci and her perfect 10.
And the first perfect 10
Béla Károlyi (born September 13, 1942) is a Romanian gymnastics coach. Born in Cluj, Károlyi and his wife, Márta emigrated to the United States in 1981 and both have dual citizenships for Romania and America. The Károlyis have coached both United States and Romanian Olympic teams to medal-winning success.
Among the gymnasts Béla and Marta Károlyi have trained are Nadia Comăneci (first 10), Mary Lou Retton, Betty Okino, Kerri Strug, Teodora Ungureanu, Kim Zmeskal, Kristie Phillips and Dominique Moceanu. In total, Károlyi has coached nine Olympic champions, fifteen world champions, sixteen European medalists and six U.S. national champions.
More about his story in this 1986 documentary.
1 comment:
Well, I do agree with you, the Official Olympic Film is an outstanding example, a remarcable way of presenting the L.A. Olympic Games, a great sporting event.
Nothing would be possible without the genius of Bud Greenspan, the all time greatest sport film creator of our living memory. Bud started in London (1948) and sadly, past away just few months ago leaving behind a collection of masterpieces, the Official Olympic films, so little known.
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